The 100, my January resolution

Well, it isn’t really a resolution, so much as a challenge. I had this wacky idea. I am always counting the hundred. I probably do 20 or 30 counts of the hundred four or five times a day, getting people going. Rarely do I actually do the whole 100. In fact, when I am working out, sometimes I skip it.

So, I thought, why not do the 100 every day? It was supposedly one of the first exercises Joe would make people do when they came to him. And just to make it more interesting, what if I try to do 100 on January 1, 200 on January 2, 300 on January 3 and see how far I get? Why not? Could be interesting. Could be fun. Could be funny. So far, day 8, it has been all three.

Right off the bat, I knew as the numbers got higher, I wasn’t going to want to do all of those in a row. Last night, peering through Pilates’ Return to Life Through Contrology and Your Health (not sure which one it was in), I saw a statement about how you want to do just the number of repetitions for each of his exercises that he indicates (every day) so that you don’t fatigue your muscles. Generally a fairly small number. 4, 6, 8. How’s that for a statement counter to what modern body/muscle builders tout? He states that fatiguing the muscles creates toxins in the body. I find that intriguing and not contrary to things I have felt, but I’d like to follow up to see if there is any physiological basis/evidence for that. Anyway, it sure doesn’t make it seem like a good idea to do so many 100’s. I could be dumping tons of toxins into my body as the days get closer to the end of the month. However, I think if I keep each set down to a manageable size for me, I can avoid this muscular fatigue for the most part. At least I hope, and I will see! That will be part of my challenge, my experiment.

Cynthia reminded me on Sunday that before I had done my Pilates training, I said I didn’t see the point of doing the 100’s. I remember feeling this way, and don’t remember exactly why. Something about all the arm flapping around seemed so silly. What the heck was I doing really to improve my health? I have to say now, all these years and 100’s (or partial 100’s later), that I do see a lot of good in the 100. One thing I think it does is integrate the natural action of the front body muscles (Pilates-style contraction) and the back body muscles. As we move our arms from our backs and breathe out, we activate our latissimus dorsi and our diaphragms in conjunction with each other, naturally taking pressure off the neck muscles. The 100 is a breathing exercise that strengthens the diaphragm’s movement downward. As we exhale, the diaphragm pulses up towards our chins, as we inhale AND DO NOT EXPAND OUR BELLY, the diaphragm pushes down on our organs (massaging), “weight lifting” them and causing the breath to expand into our back lung area. When that happens, the back muscles stretch open allowing the back rib cage to open, an action we don’t often do when we are hanging out in our daily life. Mostly we breathe in our front body, fairly shallowly. The leg positioning of the exercise challenges the lowest core muscles, pelvic floor, and low back.

So how’s it going on day 8? Well, right now in the early evening, I have done 600 so far. Yesterday I thought that maybe I was going to peter out pretty quickly in this challenge. I could really feel my abdominal muscles, not when I was walking around, but as I go into the exercise. They seem a bit weary. Also, my neck muscles (I have a long neck) have been challenged in a way that just 100 never seemed to do. Today I did the first 300 in bed before I got up. I discovered that varying the position seems to help both my neck muscles and my hip flexors. If I do the first hundred in full position, the other two hundred adding in leg circles, my hip flexors do not seize up. The first couple of days I felt constriction in my hip flexors and had to take my legs into a bent knee position, but I had no gripping problems with this method.

Today my neck muscle fatigue was relieved with help of my three dogs who, when I started to exercise lying down in bed, thought this was a good time to 1) stand on my belly 2) stand under my patting hands 3) and lick my face and ears thus causing me to continuously alter my head position and my arm positions and thoroughly distract me from any issues in the neck. Good doggies. Two hundred more to go today.

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Best Pilates Studio Ever! Jules is a professional, friendly instructor who truly cares about her clients.
There are classes available for all levels and since Jules has so many years of experience she is great at modifying an exercise or making it more challenging to accommodate everyone’s needs.
Thank you Jules for keeping me in great shape and being an amazing, attentive & talented instructor

I first got to know Jules many years ago when I took my first yoga class with her. She was so patient and really helped me to not only understand yoga and breathing, but more importantly understand how those things related to my body. Now at 60 years old, I’ve been taking Pilates with Jules for about a year. I feel better than ever and because of her teaching I’ve been able to enjoy my hobbies of gardening, walking, …

All through college I took yoga, and I always got A’s. The teacher never helped me do the poses right so I was always pulling my muscles. Then when I started doing yoga with Jules, she helped me get my body into the poses the right way so I felt a stretch in my muscles, rather than pulling them in the wrong way. It’s like your body works with you. With the other instructors I had, it was like my body was working aga…

Your classes are so enjoyable! Lately I’ve been trying to go to another class closer to my home. It gives me a better appreciation for your teaching style.
I like the elegance of your language/word choices in class, your ability to discuss the body and its mechanisms from a dancer’s or athlete’s point of view. I now am more grateful than ever for how you’ve let us “be” in poses without over-attention to “perfect”…

I am bionic: two resurfaced knee caps and three back surgeries, one of which was a fusion. Jules always finds Pilates exercises I CAN do! She is one of a kind: never judges, leads by example, funny and well versed in life. It’s a winning combination that I heartily recommend. And then there are the cherry almond brownies that occasionally make it to the studio…

I came across your website after searching for flossing exercises for my arm and shoulder which have given me a lot of trouble and pain lately.
I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada so I can’t come to your studio unfortunately.
I’m at work suffering with pain and just tried an exercise that you’re demonstrating and I already feel better!!
Just wanted you to know you’ve helped me out and wanted to say thanks!!

I seldom break a sweat during Pilates classes with Jules so some would think that I am not getting much of a workout. What I have found since starting classes a year ago is that I am much more mindful of how I move my body. I am learning how to be more economical in my movements and that mindfulness has carried over to my other activities which are weight training, running and cross-country skiing.
Thanks for all …